Kansas man charged in stolen calculator conspiracy

Calculators stolen from Midwest Wal-Mart stores

A 31-year-old Kansas man was charged in federal court Monday in a scheme to transport 215 stolen scientific calculators, valued at more than $26,000 from Wisconsin to Iowa and then ship the stolen goods to an individual in New York.

Jacob Nelson of Wichita, Kan., is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen goods. A plea hearing is set 10 a.m. Nov. 21, in U.S. District Court. If convicted of this charge, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

According to criminal information, Nelson and a co-conspirator traveled to Wal-Mart stores in various states, including Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa to steal calculators from Jan. 1, to Aug. 13. When they had stolen a number of calculators they would then ship them via Fed-Ex to an individual in New York City, in exchange for a monetary payment through Paypal from the New York resident.

Nelson and the co-conspirator drove from Wisconsin to Iowa, Aug. 13, while in possession of about 215 stolen Texas Instrument scientific calculators, valued at $26,175, according to the information. Nelson and the co-conspirator are also accused of stealing 14 Texas instrument calculators, valued at $1,295 from a Wal-Mart in Maquoketa.